Should Christians Judge?

Though many critics of the Bible have probably read or memorized very little Scripture, most are sure to know Matthew 7:1, where Jesus taught, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” In a culture that preaches tolerance and commands us not to judge others, especially on social media, Matthew 7:1 is frequently tossed at Christians when they stand for biblical morality.

“Judge not” is probably the most misapplied verse in all Scripture. Those who use Matthew 7:1 against Christians don’t know its full context. Three verses after this passage, Jesus clearly states “first take the log out of your own eye,” meaning that Christians should judge themselves before judging others.

According to John 7:24 (“judge with right judgment”) and 1 Corinthians 6:2, Christians are allowed, indeed have the responsibility, to judge—and to do it righteously. Scripture frequently judges specific sins, such as Leviticus 18:22 and 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, which condemn homosexual behavior. And throughout the Bible, various people are called out by name and judged. The Apostle Paul declared that Demas had forsaken him because he “loved this world” and that Alexander the metalworker had caused him “a great deal of harm” (2 Timothy 4:10, 14 [NIV]).

Christians and Tolerance

Many professing Christians, attempting to be seen as tolerant by the world, have also grabbed Christ’s words, “Judge not, that you be not judged,” and taken them out of context. Carelessly using this verse as their crutch, these Christians have remained silent on important moral issues of our day, like gay “marriage” and abortion—or have even publicly supported these sins in the name of tolerance. Rather than shaping society, they are acquiescing to the current culture or endorsing it.

Every day, we all make judgments between right and wrong. If your son steals, don’t you as a parent have both the right and responsibility to judge his actions because Scripture teaches that theft is wrong? Since the Bible says homosexual behavior is wrong, don’t Christians have the responsibility and authority to speak against such immorality? With a loving spirit, the proper use of Scripture, and a gospel motivation, we can share the truth. (Sadly, of course, some people claiming to be Christians act harshly and wrongly toward those caught in sin.)

In reality, it’s the Word of God that judges morality and truth, not us. With the right heart, we are to base our judgments on the Bible, for it is the Word of the Supreme Judge of all who has the authority to determine right and wrong.

Oblivious to the Obvious

People who criticize Christians for upholding biblical standards are guilty themselves of that which they accuse believers: judging others. When non-Christians tell us we are wrong and they are right, they are judging us. But this hypocrisy is usually lost on them.

Sadly today, people no longer see their need for a Savior because our “don’t judge” culture has removed any sense of guilt and shame for immoral behavior. But with the right motivation and attitude, isn’t the loving thing to warn people about their unbiblical behavior? Showing them how God will judge their sin sets the stage for offering them hope in forgiveness through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

If believers don’t speak up on moral issues, then our society, with no absolute standards of behavior, will create its own standards—or lack of them—and go its own way, ultimately to be judged by a holy God one day.